# Strange as it may seem **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 18, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-as-it-may-seem/202442 "2003-09-18T19:12:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-as-it-may-seem/202442/1 "2003-09-18T19:12:52Z")
A friend just emailed me the following. Is this true? I read it without hesitation the first time. Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe. ---
**Author:** ![sailorbychance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@sailorbychance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailorbychance)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-as-it-may-seem/202442/2 "2003-09-18T19:19:19Z")
It may be ture; I raed yuor psot wtih no prolbem… ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-as-it-may-seem/202442/3 "2003-09-18T19:28:40Z")
There are currently about 4 threads regarding this in MPSIMS. ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-as-it-may-seem/202442/4 "2003-09-18T20:07:22Z")
Byo am I scik of gttenig tihs one by emial. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-as-it-may-seem/202442/5 "2003-09-18T20:11:52Z")
All yuor daeth ryas aer belnog ot su! ---
**Author:** ![Z\_Al](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/41988e/32.png) [@Z\_Al](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Z_Al)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-as-it-may-seem/202442/6 "2003-09-18T20:16:00Z")
This is funny. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-as-it-may-seem/202442/7 "2003-09-18T20:26:11Z")
I think the position of the tall letters (b,d,f,h,k,l,t) is also of importance, although not vitally so, because they contribute to the shape of the word more significantly than the other lower-case letters (ahtough descenders might also have an impact). ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-as-it-may-seem/202442/8 "2003-09-18T20:53:44Z")
[Many](http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/09/15/2227256&mode=nested&tid=133&tid=134&tid=186) [many](http://www.nature.com/nsu/990429/990429-2.html) [many](http://www.jwz.org/hacks/scrmable.pl)[links](http://www.bisso.com/ujg_archives/000224.html).